[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Turkey and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Turkey Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to turkey@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]

English

Fidan Incident & Power Struggle within the AKP

Power Game within the AK Parti (1) - (2) Murat Yetkin explores how Erdoğan is trying to leverage his authority over Prime Minister Davutoğlu regarding candidates for election, in spite of the fact that Davutoğlu has legal power in the matter.

As the Machinery of Lies is Pinking… Yavuz Baydar discusses the “machinery of lies” by which the AKP and Erdoğan manage to sway public opinion, exemplified by the supposed attack on a woman in Kabataş during the Gezi protests.

Turkey`s War of Perceptions (1) - (2) Semih İdiz argues that the AKP and Erdoğan are working to manage perceptions in order to maintain the illusion of power.

Fidan Should Never Have Left the MİT Job (1) - (2) İlnur Çevik claims that Hakan Fidan’s resignation from his post at the National Intelligence Organization was short-sighted and politically unsavvy.

The “Platform” in the Fidan Incident According to Ali Bayramoğlu, Hakan Fidan is crucial to the Kurdish peace process and therefore belongs in his post at the National Intelligence Organization.

Erdoğan, Kurds, the PKK İhsan Yılmaz suggests that Erdoğan’s reliance on nationalist rhetoric belies his lack of integrity on the Kurdish issue.

The Unbearable Lightness of Governing Turkey Examining controversies surrounding Hakan Fidan and the Central Bank, Serkan Demirtaş argues that “Erdoğan’s ambition to rule the country on his own is speedily dragging Turkey into a crisis of governance.”

`Big Brother` to Move into Erdoğan`s Palace Fehim Taştekin writes about Erdoğan’s project to set up an electronic surveillance center in the presidential palace, which would examine security footage, drone footage, television transmissions, and 3G transmissions.

Why Gül is not in the AKP Anymore Mustafa Akyol argues that Abdullah Gül has become disenchanted from the AKP of recent years because it has diverged from the principles upon which the party was originally founded.

General Elections

The Battle over the Turkish Left Doğan Eşkinat examines the prospects of the HDP overcoming the ten percent electoral threshold and what it may mean for the future of the Turkish left.

Why Can`t the HDP Receive Fifteen Percent of the Vote? According to Etyen Mahçupyan, the HDP would be able to receive more than fifteen percent of the vote if its message was less ambivalent and if it did not depend on identitarian claims.

What to Discuss for the Upcoming Elections İhsan Aktaş argues that major developments since the 2011 general election, such as the Gezi uprisings and the corruption investigations, have not greatly altered the mainstream political landscape.

Kurdish Votes Key to Turkish Elections Murat Yetkin suggests that religious Kurdish votes will go to the AKP and secular Kurdish votes will go to the HDP, showing that the Kurdish electorate will largely determine the election.

An Unpredictable Parameter for the Election Mümtazer Türköne argues that President Erdoğan’s clout and his pursuit of power make him the most unpredictable parameter in the upcoming election.

Kurdish Politics and Peace Process

What Does Öcalan Want? Yahya Bostan argues that Öcalan’s call for disarmament shows that he wants to be remembered for bringing peace, rather than for the violence of the PKK.

The Kurdish Reconciliation Process and the Middle East Taha Özhan situates the current reconciliation process within the context of the US invasion of Iraq, the emergence of Iraqi Kurdistan, and the ongoing violence in Syria.

Another Threshold for Kurdish Issue This Weekend Murat Yetkin writes about the formation of an independent monitoring group to oversee the peace and reconciliation talks on İmralı island.

From Housewife to Kurdish Peace Negotiator Sibel Hürtaş profiles the rise of Pervin Buldan to politics following the extrajudicial murder of her husband.

International Women’s Day

The Credibility of a Public Service Ad with President Erdoğan Ayşe Arman questions the integrity of a recent public service announcement from Erdoğan in which he condemns violence against women, given his other public statements about women’s rights.

Being a Tree or a Woman is Tough in This Country Gila Benmayor compares the systemic inequalities against women in Turkey to the destruction of trees and forests for the sake of urban growth.

Foreign Relations

Why a Sunni Block against Iran is a Bad Idea Amanda Paul suggests that Turkey`s potential alliance with other Sunni countries in the Middle East against Iran would lead to significant regional instability as well as religious polarization.

Is ISIL After a Second Kobane in Ras al-Ayn? Murat Yetkin argues that ISIL`s advance on Ras al-Ayn is an attempt to establish a contact zone along the Turkish border in order to enable transfers of foreign fighters and weapons into Syria.

Turkey to Support Mosul Operation from Sidelines According to Metin Gürcan, Turkey agreed to participate in the Mosul operations against IS in exchange for more influence in restoring order in Mosul.

Turkish-American Relations Once Again Kılıç Buğra Kanat examines the evolution of Turkish-American foreign policy under President Bush and President Obama to consider prospects for changing strategies in the Syrian conflict.

Economy

The Economic Policies of a Dictatorship Mümtazer Türköne criticizes Erdoğan for intervening in the Central Bank in order to protect the interests of the oligarchy, in spite of potential damage to the Turkish economy.

Turkey`s Conflicting Visions of the Economy Mustafa Akyol compares the “rational” approach to the Turkish economy, led by Ali Babacan, with Erdoğan’s more “conspiratorial” approach to it, pioneered in part by his advisor Yiğit Bulut.

Government Backs Başçı against Erdoğan Examining the difficult consequences of Erdoğan’s economic interventionism for Central Bank President Erdem Başçı, Semih İdiz argues that Başçı is “damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t.”

Has Interest Rate Fighting Ended? Seyfettin Gürsel claims that Erdem Başçı may have softened Erdoğan’s approach to interest rates and the Central Bank following a meeting regarding structural reforms.

Another Brief İbrahim Türkmen suggests that the meeting between Erdoğan and Başçı will not be enough to boost confidence in the autonomy of the Turkish Central Bank.

Other Pertinent Pieces

Erdoğan Fined $3,800 for Insulting Peace Monument Sibel Hürtaş examines a recent court decision that fined Erdoğan for disparaging a monument built in Kars in order to promote peaceful relations between Turkey and Armenia.

Turkey`s Official Islamic Body Extends Influence Abroad Kadri Gürsel writes about the Directorate of Religious Affairs’ recent efforts to build spheres of influence in Central Asian and African countries.

No Freedom of Expression for Atheists Orhan Kemal Cengiz suggests that there is a double standard in the government’s approach to religion, exemplified by the blocking of the Atheism Association’s website.

In Search of the Left Doğu Ergil argues that the future success of left politics in Turkey depends on its ability to appeal to cultural diversity and pluralism.

Turkish

Fidan Incident & Power Struggle within the AKP

İktidar ve istihbarat Hayko Bağdat points to the dangers of normalizing the government’s undemocratic practices, in the context of Erdoğan’s partiality as a President, and Fidan’s return to his previous position as the Chief of the National Intelligence (MİT).

Fidan fırtınası ve üç sebebi Murat Yetkin speculates that the reasons behind Erdoğan’s insistence on Hakan Fidan are his loyalty with regards to the Kurdish issue, the fight against the Gülen movement, and the need to show his dominance.

Vezir edenler rezil de ederler, zavallı Hakan Fidan Oya Baydar talks about the human side of the Fidan incident—his delicate and pivotal position in Erdoğan’s politics and his manifest loyalty to AKP—as a weak spot in his career.

Erdoğan, süreçleri neden böyle yönetiyor? Alper Görmüş argues that Erdoğan aimed to show the reach of his power over Davutoğlu by teaching him a lesson with the way the Fidan case was handled.

Ya o güzide kuruma şey olursa?!.. Ümit Kıvanç satirizes the normative respect paid to the National Intelligence Organization, and claims over the need for its impartiality.

Fidan olayı: Demek ki danışıklı dövüş değilmiş Ruşen Çakır analyzes the hidden meanings of the Fidan incident, and problematizes the central role of the MİT in Turkish politics for democratic principles.

Kadim Türk devlet geleneğinden demokrasi çıkar mı? Mustafa Alp Dağıstanlı bases Erdoğan’s tendencies in the larger pattern of centralizing power in the Turkish state tradition, where a central figure dominates.

Gül’ün son kararı... Mustafa Unal argues that Abdullah Gül may return to the AKP if he sees a chance for involvement in normalizing its politics.

Erdoğan’ın Fidan ısrarı Şaban İba lists the reasons why Erdogan wanted to keep Fidan at his post: a desire to sustain his political dominance, future aspirations for Fidan in a Presidential future, and the need to secure a loyalist under his command.

İki cumhurbaşkanı bir başbakan Nuriye Akman encourages pro-government journalists to ask more critical questions that might clear out the clutter in official statements regarding important decisions.

Özgürlük mücadelesi sürecek According to İhsan Çaralan, the temporary withdrawal of the security bill is intended to accelerate the enactment of the already passed articles, and to prevent the exhaustion of AKP PMs before the elections.

Basın Özgürlüğünün Tutukluluk Sınavı Fikret İlkiz points out that there is a correlation between the detention of journalists and the decline in freedom of press, citing recent publicized cases and their repercussions.

General Elections

AK Parti içindeki iktidar mücadelesi Murat Yetkin sees a power struggle among the AKP’s prominent politicians, which affects the chances of Erdoğan achieving his dreams of a presidential regime.

CHP için sorumluluk alma zamanı According to Suat Kınıklıoğlu, the CHP has a responsibility to address its electorate’s decreased sense of trust in representative democracy, and its demand for reform in oppositional politics.

Abdullah Gül bir umuttur Şahin Alpay thinks the return of Abdullah Gul to the AKP`s ranks would serve to normalize central right politics.

CHP ve ``Zamanın Ruhu`` M. Asım Karaömerlioğlu argues that unless the CHP understands the Zeitgeist, and addresses the issues that came into public attention after the Gezi protests, it will inevitably be unsuccessful in elections.

Kılıçdaroğlu ve Demirtaş Hakan Aksay compares the political performances of Demirtaş and Kılıçdaroğlu, and blames the CHP leadership for not taking the opportunity for a joint struggle against the AKP.

`HDP, AKP ile anlaştı` demek kimin işine yarıyor? Erdem Yörük shows that CHP voters who want to see a decrease in the AKP’s power would mostly benefit from the HDP’s election success, not from conspiracy around a secret agreement between the HDP and AKP.

HDP barajı geçecek ama AKP’yi eriterek Onur Yazıcıoğlu argues that the public polls are used as a manipulation tool to frame the elections, while in reality the AKP will inevitably experience a decrease in its power since all oppositional parties have increased their representativeness.

Kurdish Politics and Peace Process

Eren Keskin: Kemalistler ve İslamcılar arasında hiçbir fark yok Çetin Çeko’s extensive interview with Eren Keskin, a renowned human rights advocate, answering questions regarding the peace process, her refusal to enter politics from the HDP ranks, and human rights violations of both parties.

Çözüm Süreci`nin üç hâli Avni Özgürel argues that as long as the government does not make a big mistake, it will be possible to witness a laying of arms ceremony before the elections.

Kandil’de Öcalan’la saydam müzakere Veysi Sarısözen purports that today the conditions of peacemaking are much more demanding than they were before, so the government should risk making more substantial decisions.

Çözüm sürecinin esas kazananı According to Ruşen Çakır, the winner of the peace process is the Kurdish movement, which legitimized its existence in Turkey and improved its image internationally.

Türklerin ve Kürtlerin ittifakı! (1) - (2) Ali Bulac argues that a coalition against imperialism, including a Turkish-Kurdish one, in the region should involve uniting forces, and giving up on patronizing politics and ambitions for regional dominance.

Economy

Doların yükselişinin iktisadi ve siyasal etkileri Mustafa Durmuş discusses the economic and political repercussions of the steep increase in foreign exchange rates.

Ekonomide risk faktörleri artıyor Volkan Yaraşır talks about the indications of an increase in the risk factors in the Turkish economy such as private sector debt and the real estate bubble.

Türkiye yoksullaşıyor Mehmet Çetingüleç criticizes politicians for failing to implement successful economic policies and causing a decline in the wealth of businessman, and the purchasing power of citizens.

Foreign Relations

Erdoğan ve Putin, Babacan ve Kudrin M. Sinan Birdal asks whether Erdoğan will be able to make his to Presidential system by way of his “oligarchs,” not unlike Putin.

Vitrindeki kitaplar kızıla çalmadan! (1) - (2) Fehim Taştekin discusses the possibilities of a “Pakistanization” process for Turkey, and criticizes Turkey’s sectarian politics regarding Mosul.  

Süleymaniye notları: IŞİD`in ömrü, İran, Türkiye vs...  Reporting from Suleimanie Forum, Cengiz Çandar talks about how regional powers perceive Turkey’s role in Mosul and the fight against IS.

Other Pertinent Pieces

Yaşar Kemal Muzaffer Ayata remembers Yaşar Kemal, the great Kurdish author who died last week, for his life-long struggle for human rights in Turkey, and continued dedication throughout the most oppressive periods.

Zorba iç güvenlik, ‘narin’ iş güvenliği paketi Aziz Çelik states that the new work safety bill bases the reasons behind skyrocketing numbers of work deaths to worker’s carelessness and lack of education, not to a lack of security measures.

Kadınlar ikiye ayrılır According to Aksu Bora, Erdoğan sees two types of women: feminists who are corrupted and impure, and ladylike ones.

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